Thank frack that’s over

October 4, 2017

By Simone Charlesworth

Anyone who has read this blog even infrequently will know I am firmly against fracking so to say I am relieved at today’s statement by Paul Wheelhouse in Holyrood is an understatement. It is great to have some good news after what has been a dreadful few days.

It’s not an actual ban despite what the media are reporting, the power to do that is STILL reserved to Westminster. What will happen is the current moratorium will be extended indefinitely.

As has been said on many occasions, if the Scottish Government impose a straight ban companies such as INEOS will be able to go to court and appeal to the “higher authority” in Westminster.

And despite Gove saying yesterday that the Tories were the party of conservation – yes I laughed at that too, Green Brexit my arse – the UK government is still gung ho for fracking, as Lancashire and Yorkshire can attest.

INEOS have said they intend to sue anyway, well I’m with Chunk on this.

I see Labour have already started claiming credit – not Monica Lennon for once, but Claudia Beamish. She should to take note that Scottish voters have memories longer than goldfish and we can remember Labour MPs abstaining on both fracking and devolving powers to Scotland to deal with fracking.

I’m sure labour will soon claim credit for banning fracking in Scotland- so I’ll post this list of Labour MP’s that abstained on fracking pic.twitter.com/2bo3c3aDKe

Then of course we have Richard Leonard’s union (you know – the other one who wants to be Scottish branch manager) saying this…

Yeah I mean who gives a fuck about water quality or the fact Scotland is in Europe’s renewable energy sweet spot for both wind and water power. We don’t need to frack, we have an embarrassment of energy sources.

Maybe they should start to donate to the Tories because they are the only party officially pro-fracking in Scotland.

I cannot believe they think that there is any justification (apart from pleasing shareholders… oh) in squeezing out a few extra barrels of oil. Fracking would endanger our water, whisky, farming, tourism, all of which make sizeable contributions to our economy and that’s before we even start on health issues.

The consultation received over 60,000 responses, making it the largest since devolution. It’s an astounding level, remember polls are considered reliable at over 1,000 responses.

Only 1% of those was pro-fracking. Maybe the Tories should start listening to the people they represent, although that’s unlikely looking at the lobby fodder they have in Westminster.

If anyone can be said to have put pressure on the Scottish government it is those people, and yes they are members of many political parties and none. The SNP membership, the Greens, ordinary Labour members, LibDems and probably Tories.

It shows that when required people will stand up for they believe in and make themselves heard. And I appreciate each and ever one of them (except the 1% pro – bloody idiots)